Swimming South Africa Names 21-person Roster for World Championships in Rome

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, May 8. WORLD 50 metres breaststroke record-holder Cameron van der Burgh and Olympic relay gold medallists Roland Schoeman, Darian Townsend and Lyndon Ferns are among a powerful national swimming team that will compete at the FINA World Championships in Rome, Italy, from July 17-August 2.

Swimming SA have been able to go the extra mile to send all 19 swimmers that posted world championship A level qualifying times at the Telkom SA National Aquatics Championships at the Kings Park Aquatics Centre in Durban last month, bringing about a team mixture of experience and youth. Additional assistance for the team came from the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund and Telkom.

Van der Burgh, who set a world best of 27.06 secs in the 50 metres breaststroke at the at the national championships in Durban, will compete in the 50 and 100 metres breaststroke events, while Schoeman, who joined Townsend, Ferns and Ryk Neethling in the gold medal-winning performance in the 4 x 100 metres relay at the Athens Olympics in 2004, will compete in the 50 and 100 metres freestyle and 50 metres butterfly.

Ferns, who will compete in the 50 and 100 metres freestyle and 100 metres butterfly, showed fine form at the national championships, on the comeback from a hernia operation which he underwent in January.

Other swimmers who will be out to make the most of the world championships campaign include Capetonians in Sebastien Rousseau, who bettered his continental record in the 200 metres butterfly to 1:55.51 in Durban, and Chanelle van Wyk set an African best of 28.55 in the 50 metres backstroke.

US-based Wendy Trott, who took her African record in the 1500 metres freestyle to 16:10.97 at the national showpiece, will also be a part of the national team, as will Durbanite Riaan Schoeman, who clocked 4:12.07 to eclipse the 400 metres individual medley continental best of Oussama Mellouli of Tunisia which had stood at 4:13.47.

The Westville Boys High pair of Charl van Zyl (50 metres backstroke) and Chad le Clos will be making their senior world championship debuts after fine performances at junior international galas last year. Van Zyl, who posted a world championship qualifying time of 25.71 in the 50 metres backstroke, got among the medals at the Commonwealth Youth Games held in Pune, India last year, in winning the 50 metres backstroke (26.52), finishing second in the 100 metres backstroke (58.87) and claiming bronze in the 200 metres backstroke (2:05.02).

Le Clos, who clocked a 400 metres individual medley qualifying time of 4:17.62 to book his place in the SA team for swimming action in Rome, won the 200 metres breaststroke (2:21.00) and 200 metres individual medley (2:04.88) at the Commonwealth Youth event.

Also included are Soweto breaststroke star Thabang Moeketsane (50 and 100 metres breaststroke) and the highly promising Darren Murray for the 200 metres backstroke.

Murray finished second in the 50 metres backstroke (26.60 secs) and 200 metres backstroke (2:04.05) as well as third in the 100 metres backstroke (57.06) at the Commonwealth Youth Games held in Pune, India last year.

"Following the highly successful Telkom SA National Aquatics Championships held in Durban last month, Swimming SA is proud to be able to send a full-strength national team to represent SA at the FINA World Championships in Rome, Italy and looks forward to seeing our athletes producing world class performances as we continue to build our country's reputation of being a leading swimming nation on the world map," said Swimming SA CEO, Shaun Adriaanse.

Name Province Events
Men:
Jean Basson CGA 200m & 400m freestyle
William Diering NTS 200m breaststroke
George du Rand NTS 100m and 200m backstroke
Lyndon Ferns NTS 50m & 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly
Chad le Clos KZNA 400m individual medley
Thabang Moeketsane CGA 50m & 100m breaststroke
Graeme Moore CGA 50m butterfly
Darren Murray NTS 200m backstroke
Sebastien RousseauWPA 200m butterfly
Riaan Schoeman KZNA 200m & 400m individual medley
Roland Schoeman NTS 50m & 100m freestyle, 50m butterfly
Darian Townsend KZNA 100m butterfly, 200m individual medley
Cameron van der Burgh NTS 50m & 100m breaststroke
Charl van Zyl KZNA 50m backstroke
Jasper Venter KZNA 200m freestyle
Neil Versfeld KZNA 200m breaststroke
Gerhard ZandbergNTS 50m backstroke

Women:
Kathryn Meaklim KZNA 200m & 400m individual medley
Jessica PengellyWPA 200m & 400m individual medley
Wendy Trott WPA 800m & 1500m freestyle
Chanelle van WykWPA 50m backstroke

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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